


the glow

by montecarlos



Category: Formula E RPF
Genre: Based on the Youtube video, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 18:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18238838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/montecarlos/pseuds/montecarlos
Summary: "When he sees Antonio, this look, this glow comes over him...this little smile. I want that smile one day,”Ant feels a stab of something in his chest at Sam’s words. He didn’t even realise that he was the only recipient of Robin’s smile in the mornings.





	the glow

**Author's Note:**

> After watching the Behind the Visor video for Sanya, I was inspired to come up with something for my favourite boys, because let's be honest, Antonio MUST have watched that video. The video is very much real, but the aftermath is sadly not. I just wanted something fluffy and cutesy to get it out of my system. 
> 
> A big thank you to my girl Daphne for cheerleading through this one.

**From: Birdy Boy  
**   
😏   
  
Ant raises an eyebrow at the message. It’s not the strangest thing he’s received from Sam - he’s been the victim of a few drunken texts from the Brit, it doesn’t help that he’s usually at the top of everyone’s contact list - but this is strange, even for him. There’s no message alongside it, no additional text, just a singular smirking face on the screen. It’s even stranger given the circumstances. Ant is in his hotel room, having turned down Mitch’s offer for a post-race drink, choosing to retire to his room with his third place trophy. Sam’s race finished before it even started - with the Brit staying in the media pen for the minimum allotted time before slinking off somewhere.   
  
Ant is about to type a response when another message comes through.   
  
**From: Birdy Boy**   
  
_You’re going to love our newest video hombre_ 😏   
  
Ant raises an eyebrow. He’s aware of the videos that the Virgin boys have been participating in every single race - he’s even seen one or two, curled up on his couch with Taco and Glock by his feet, Robin’s soft voice filtering through his earbuds. But most of the questions have been the typical PR fare - what do you think of the track, embarrassing moments and so forth. There’s been a few instances of them playing on the bromance tag - ever since Jev and Andre arrived on the scene, it’s become more commonplace. It bothers Ant sometimes and he’s not sure why. Robin and he are nothing but good friends but he misses that intimacy that comes with being teammates. Alex is fun and they have a laugh - but Alex is older and has other responsibilities, he would rather sit in a meeting with his engineers to pass the time. Seeing Sam and Robin spend so much time together hurts sometimes.   
  
Ant finds himself on the Virgin youtube page and clicks on the newest video. It looks fairly nondescript, Robin and Sam lying on sun loungers flanked by Jack, looking relaxed. He begins watching the video, his eyes drawn towards the right side of the screen where Robin relaxes against the lounger with a small smile on his face. The questions at first are again typical fare - about the track, about the season so far and Ant wonders why Sam directed him towards the video. He can feel himself getting tired, the warmth of the sheets and the ache of his bones only adding to the sensation of exhaustion. He barely pays attention to the questions, lulled by the sound of Robin’s soft smooth voice until halfway through the video when his name falls from Sam’s lips.   
  
“Because I’ve invited him...it would be rude not to invite Antonio Felix da Costa,”   
  
Ant’s attention is instantly piqued at the sound of his own name and he watches as Robin’s head slides down across the sunlounger, catching the smirk on Sam’s face at his teammate’s embarrassment.   
  
“I knew that was coming,” Robin’s expression is half hidden by his sunglasses, but Ant knows Robin well enough to catch the small upturns at the corners of his mouth.   
  
But Sam doesn’t stop there, there’s a grin worthy of the Cheshire Cat on his face as he presses on. “The glow on his face...he looks glum when he sees me in the morning but when he sees Antonio, this look, this glow comes over him...this little smile. I want that smile one day,”   
  
Ant feels a stab of something in his chest at Sam’s words. He didn’t even realise that he was the only recipient of Robin’s smile in the mornings. He knew that the Dutchman was notoriously grumpy in the mornings, preferring to remain impassive and curled up in his hoodie until he was called to the meetings or to the garage but he never realised that Robin never smiled at anyone else. But the last part of Sam’s sentence forces another emotion that Ant can’t place. He doesn’t want Robin to smile at Sam in the mornings, he doesn’t want anyone else to have the smile seemingly reserved for just him.   
  
His attention is drawn back to the video as his name is dropped into the mix again, this time by Jack. “What is your favourite thing about Antonio Felix da Costa?”   
  
Ant expects Robin to change the subject, but he doesn’t. He takes it in his stride with a small smile curling over his lips as Sam explodes into a fit of laughter on the other side. “It - just, we get along very well, I think we have the same way of thinking-” He says, the words sound jarred on his tongue.   
  
“They just have a bond,” Sam cuts in, diverting the attention away from Robin and changing the question. Ant watches the rest of the video but can’t help but replay the conversation about himself and Robin again -   
  
_Glow...smile...very well...bond._   
  
Ant feels his phone fall from his fingers as the realisation hits him. Robin is in love with him.   
  
It makes sense. Robin has always been friendly with most of the drivers, but rarely has formed a friendship with any of them. He’s naturally shy and doesn’t like to take the first step - but since he’s returned to Formula E, he’s always sought out Ant’s company. When they were together at Andretti, it made sense - they were teammates after all and were supposed to spend time together - and after Robin disappeared from the grid last season, Ant had a stone of emptiness in the pit of his stomach for at least four races. It was always in the background, Ant supposes, Tom and Stephane were fun enough and exceptionally talented, but they weren’t Robin. They didn’t sit on the shipping containers making small talk in the mornings whilst Ant ran through his early morning regime. They didn’t congratulate him after a race - granted there wasn’t much to celebrate, but Ant always remembered Robin’s hands curling around his shoulders, the smell of sweat and the crinkle of fireproofs brushing as Robin leaned into his touch. Come to think of it, the glow that Sam mentioned was present even then - Ant just never noticed it, never noticed the small smile curling over Robin’s lips at his presence, as he popped up behind the shorter Dutchman. He picks up his phone and immediately types out a quick message.   
  
**From: Me** ****  
**To: Birdy Boy**   
  
_Fuck. I think I love him._   
  
Sam’s reply is instantaneous.   
  
**From: Birdy Boy**   
  
_Then what are you waiting for? Room 10. Thank me later mate._   
  
Ant doesn’t reply, choosing to slip his phone into his pocket and leaves his hotel room. He knows he probably looks a mess - he hasn’t even showered and is still wearing his team gear, his hair still fluffy with champagne and sweat but he doesn’t care. He didn’t even realise that they were staying in the same hotel. It never came up in the conversations during the day - he thinks about what they did discuss. They had laughed, thrown around a few light-hearted jokes here and there and he vaguely recalls Robin waiting for him to finish speaking to Nicki in the pen as they waited for the last few times to trickle in. His heart thunders against his chest as he approaches the door with the shiny number ten.   
  
_We get on very well._   
  
What if Robin doesn’t feel the same? What if he just thinks of Ant as a friend? What if Sam was just joking around? Ant thinks about the interactions he’s had with Robin over the past few months - they’ve spent a lot of time together in the media pen, Ant usually ribbing on the Dutchman for his hatred of interviews. But Ant suddenly remembers every time that he’s spotted Robin in the driver’s briefing, or in the catering tent early in the mornings and the small smile that curls over the older man’s lips when he sees Ant. Sam is right. Robin truly does glow in his presence.   
  
“Antonio, what are you doing here?”   
  
Ant’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t realise that the door is open and Robin stands before him. Ant feels the rush of air fall from his chest at the sight of the Dutchman - he looks the same as he did in the video, albeit with messy hair and reddened eyes.   
  
“I-” Ant begins, his lip caught between his teeth. “I-”   
  
“Are you alright?” Robin asks, his voice is soft and confused and there’s a furrow between his brows. “Did something happen?”   
  
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?” Ant replies, watching the small smile curl on the corner of Robin’s lips, the small glimpse of the glow that Sam had talked about.   
  
“I-I’m alright,” Robin says, averting his eyes. “Do you want to come in?”   
  
Ant nods. He’s led into the hotel room - it’s typical of where they usually stay, and even more typically, Robin’s room looks like a bombsite, his clothes and racing gear thrown around in all four corners.   
  
“So what brings you here?” Robin asks, folding his arms. “I swear to god, if Sam told you to check on me-”   
  
“I saw the video,” Ant blurts out, his heart still slamming at what feels like a million miles per hour against his ribcage. “I mean, the Virgin one with the question about me-”   
  
Robin’s expression immediately changes and the shorter man pales at the words. “I didn’t mean it in that way- I mean, Sam was just taking the piss, you know what he is like-”   
  
“I think I’m in love with you,” Ant cuts in, the words falling from his lips before he can stop them. Robin pauses, his eyes widening as his mouth falls open but Ant continues, ignoring the telltale heat rising on his cheeks. “I know it’s sudden but the video made me realise that I love you and I think you feel the same,”   
  
“Antonio, I-”   
  
“I realised that you do light up when you see me and that I don’t want anyone else to have that smile-” Ant pauses for a moment, his lip caught between his teeth. “And I’m sorry for never noticing, I just thought-”   
  
He’s cut off by Robin leaning in and silencing him with his lips. They’re softer than Ant imagined, different than what he was expecting. Robin’s body melts against his own as Ant’s hands move of their own accord to brush against the Dutchman’s shoulders, pulling him closer. Robin’s own hands move to cup Ant’s face, his thumb curling over the waves of Ant’s fluffy hair as he deepens the kiss. The taste of sweat and flavoured water dances over Ant’s tongue as he’s pulled into the kiss, his fingers slowly mapping over every inch of Robin’s biceps, committing it to memory. After what seems like minutes, they finally pull apart, panting heavily with reddened cheeks.   
  
“Robin, I-” Ant begins, unable to stop the words falling free, but Robin shushes him with a single finger.   
  
“Me first,” He says, the smile slowly curling over his lips. “I think I’m in love with you too, Antonio,” The smile intensifies, and Ant finally sees the glow that Sam spoke of so many times in the video, the smile that is reserved for Ant only. As his hand tangles with Robin’s, he can’t help but smile back, hoping that the glowing smile on Robin’s face is radiated back in his own expression.   
  
“Well, we do get on well,” Ant teases, unable to keep the smile from his face.   
  
“Shut up you idiot,” Robin fires back, squeezing his hand and moving in for another kiss.     



End file.
